Ever since the 12th century, the city of Prato has been famous for the manufacture of textiles and especially the production of woollen cloth, although it was only with the advent of industrialization in the mid-19th century that the area developed a real and proper industrial production system. Following the second world war, contrary to trends in other European textile manufacturing areas, the industries of Prato enjoyed such a boom in production that, by the early 1980s, the area was considered a model industrial district.

However, changes in fashion and new consumption models soon forced the district to reconsider its organizational structure. Indeed, such were the changes in lifestyle and the development of new technologies that many Prato textile companies were forced to abandon their traditional carded wool businesses and differentiate with a view to satisfying new markets.

Indeed, Prato textile district is now famous for the specially-designed textiles (such as combed wool, cotton, viscose, linen and silk as well as yarns, knitwear, clothing and technological textiles) with which it supplies a wide range of markets. The success of the Prato textile district is the result of its focus on the specialization of a large number of mainly small and micro enterprises. According to this organizational model, the large-scale “woollen mills” of the area focus on stylistic research, range planning, the provisioning of raw materials and sales, while the smaller companies focus on supplying materials and producing fabrics.

More recently, further market changes (the result of globalization, liberalization of previously closed markets, delocalization of textile production, competition from Asian countries and the application of computer technologies) have led to new production dynamics. As a result many local companies are now searching for new development prospects.

With almost 7,200 companies employing over 40,000 workers in the production of over 70,000 new items and approximately 350 million metres of fabric for clothing, furnishings and technical uses, Prato is currently one of the most important textile manufacturing areas in Europe.

Thanks to its collaboration with the PratoTrade consortium, Prato Textile Museum is able to offer a cultural outlet for many state-of-the-art textiles produced by the local textile industry.